There’s something here for everyone this week. We look at a retro tripod from a famous filter maker, a messenger bag from a famous tripod maker, a lens case from my favorite photo backpack maker and a new circular polarizing filter from a not-so-famous accessory maker—plus a knockout protective case for your MacBook.

Hacking, wiretapping, malware downloads and televisions that watch us instead of the other way around—they’re all in the news and it sounds like they’re here to stay. We don’t want to give up our Amazon Prime memberships or Pandora tunes, but neither do we want to be plagued by viruses, Trojans and ransomware. There’s no magic pill, but it is possible to keep the bad stuff locked outside. Here are seven ways to protect your assets in an extremely connected world.

Daylight Saving Time begins on the second Sunday in March throughout most of the US. Despite the nonsensical grumbles about losing an hour of sleep, this annual event is a reason to celebrate. It heralds the first hint of spring—and if that’s not enough—it brings us an extra hour of useable light before dinnertime. It also stands to remind us to clean out the tackle box, as it were, to get things in order for another wonderful summer of photography.

It was portrait shooter’s paradise with two new Sony lenses this week. The 100mm STF is a veritable bokeh machine, while the FE 85mm f/1.8 is a budget-friendly, professional quality portrait lens. Sony invited a small group of editors to a private studio and assured us that we were the first journalists in the world to shoot with this new glass.

If you’re into high quality glass, this is the kind of lens you can get lost in. Build quality is exceptional, performance is outstanding and…I’m getting ahead of myself, but you’ll see the world in a whole new way when you use this lens.

Unless you’re completely new to photography, you’ve heard about Lensbaby, the marvelously creative series of lenses that are best described as intentionally unsharp and stuffed with almost every imaginable aberration and distortion. The Lensbaby Trio 28 is the latest model, and it has a secret.

Ever drop a camera? Ever have a camera strap break? Or bust apart near the D-ring? Put those worries out of your mind. UPstrap offers a full lineup of some of the toughest camera straps you’ll ever wear. And, as the name proudly announces, they stay UP on your shoulder, too.

Welcome back! Last week we covered lenses that are well suited for five of the most popular camera activities, including kids’ sports, travel and online auctions. If you missed that piece, you’ll find it here. This week—as promised—five more lenses for five more activities. These are sometimes thought of as being in the realm of more advanced hobbyists, but that ain’t necessarily so. Read on…

People often ask me, “What sort of lens should I buy as my second lens?” and my answer is always the same: “What sort of pictures would you like to take?” I’m getting that question a lot right now because a zillion people got new cameras over the holidays. There are so many options I’ve decided to deliver the answer in two installments. But first, let’s take a close look at that kit lens that came with your camera.

Remember Albert? Not Einstein—I mean the Albert that’s also known as “Snowtober.” If you lived on the East Coast in October 2011 you remember Albert as the freak Halloween snowstorm that left more than three million homes and businesses without power. Talk about Trick or Treat. One thing that we all should have learned from that painful experience is what all Boy Scouts know: Be Prepared.